N. Miami mayor surrenders in mortgage fraud case

MIAMI — The mayor of North Miami has surrendered to federal agents after she was charged with others in an $8 million mortgage fraud scheme.

The FBI confirmed Tuesday that 54-year-old Mayor Lucie Tondreau was in custody. She had been at a Las Vegas convention on city business when an indictment charging her was unsealed Monday.

Gov. Rick Scott has suspended Tondreau from office.

Prosecutors say Tondreau and three others conspired before she became mayor to defraud lenders using straw buyers to obtain inflated loans to buy 20 properties. Tondreau's radio program was used to recruit buyers.

Tondreau's attorney says she is innocent. The four defendants are charged with conspiracy and wire fraud, which carry a combined maximum 30-year prison sentence.

Tondreau was elected North Miami's first female Haitian-American mayor last June.